The thermal transfer of layers from a thermal transfer element to a receptor has been suggested for the preparation of a variety of products. Such products include, for example, color filters, spacers, black matrix layers, polarizers, printed circuit boards, displays (for example, liquid crystal and emissive displays), polarizers, z-axis conductors, and other items that can be formed by thermal transfer including, for example, those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,156,938; 5,171,650; 5,244,770; 5,256,506; 5,387,496; 5,501,938; 5,521,035; 5,593,808; 5,605,780; 5,612,165; 5,622,795; 5,685,939; 5,691,114; 5,693,446; and 5,710,097 and PCT Patent Applications Nos. 98/03346 and 97/15173, incorporated herein by reference.
For many of these products, resolution and edge sharpness are important factors in the manufacture of the product. Another factor is the size of the transferred portion of the thermal transfer element for a given amount of thermal energy. As an example, when lines or other shapes are transferred, the linewidth or diameter of the shape depends on the size of the resistive element or light beam used to pattern the thermal transfer element. The linewidth or diameter also depends on the ability of the thermal transfer element to transfer energy. Near the edges of the resistive element or light beam, the energy provided to the thermal transfer element may be reduced. Thermal transfer elements with better thermal conduction, less thermal loss, more sensitive transfer coatings, and/or better light-to-heat conversion typically produce larger linewidths or diameters. Thus, the linewidth or diameter can be a reflection of the efficiency of the thermal transfer element in performing the thermal transfer function. To address these issues of the thermal transfer process, new methods of thermal transfer and new thermal transfer element configurations are developed.